ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- There isn't a shortage of epic Jim Harbaugh moments, but a lot of them only get out on Harbaugh's terms.
Inside looks at the successful-but-quirky Michigan coach are rare, but not totally out of circulation. Enter Joe Bolden, the former Wolverines linebacker who is practicing this week for the East-West Shrine Game in front of NFL scouts looking for rough-edged draft diamonds.
"I already graduated and I don't play for him anymore, so I guess I can say this," Bolden said.
Yes, Joe, you certainly can.
"We were in a hotel one night and he wanted to show the quarterbacks how to slide, and he actually demonstrated it on the hotel floor," Bolden said.
Was he wearing khakis?
"Of course he was," Bolden said.
While Harbaugh's methods might take players aback at times, he is peerless when it comes to passion for the game and organization, according to both Bolden and former Wolverines QB Jake Rudock, who is also playing in the Shrine game.
"He's so efficient in everything that happens," Bolden said. "He maximizes every minute, from practice to meetings to spring ball, and minimizes any distractions."
Here are some other things we learned from Tuesday's practices for the East-West Shrine Game:
2. Turning heads. South Carolina State DL Javon Hargrave (6-foot-2, 295 pounds) might not have the FBS pedigree of most players on hand for East-West Shrine Game week, but he's not practicing as though he's at any competitive disadvantage. Hargrave gave East offensive linemen trouble with his quick first step for much of the morning practice and is emerging as one of the most disruptive interior defensive linemen at the event. He caught NFL Media draft expert Mike Mayock's eye.
3. Mr. Popularity. After talking to NFL scouts, most players at the East-West Shrine Game return to the team bus in anonymity where fans are concerned. One who can't is Navy's Keenan Reynolds, who has been stopped for multiple autographs on his way out. There are players from bigger schools and players with a better chance of making the NFL than Reynolds, but none are as popular as the Midshipmen's four-year option quarterback who is beginning his transition to running back this week.
4. Fair or unfair? West fullback Derek Watt of Wisconsin, the younger brother of Houston Texans star DE J.J. Watt, has faced Ohio State DE Joey Bosa in Big Ten action before, but he isn't about to put the potential No. 1 overall pick on a level with his two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year sibling.
"I don't have any comment on that," Watt said of the comparisons that have been made between the two. "I just know what my brother can do and the work he puts in."
Translation: As good as Bosa is, he hasn't yet set foot on the proving grounds.
5. Bloodlines. East LB Terrance Smith, of FSU, is a cousin of Houston Texans star WR DeAndre Hopkins. ... East OT Brandon Shell is the great nephew of Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive lineman **Art Shell**, the former head coach of the Raiders.
6. Stave struggles Wisconsin QB Joel Stave had a tough time hanging onto the ball Tuesday in the windy, chilly conditions during the morning East team practice. On Monday, he bounced-passed a short out route to Navy's Keenan Reynolds that had Reynolds muttering under his breath.
Stave's generally considered the best quarterback at the East-West practices this week, but overall, it's an underwhelming group that might not see any of its membership get drafted.
"(Stave) has some tools to work with," said NFL Media draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah. "Made a nice throw on a deep crosser today. I don't think he will get drafted but he'll get into a camp."
Stave left Madison as the Badgers' all-time winningest quarterback, but despite all the wins, the former walk-on struggled with consistency throughout his four years there. The East-West event is all about traits, not necessarily about college production, and at 6-foot-5 and 219 pounds, he looks the part of an NFL quarterback (and actor Jon Heder). We'll find out in three-plus months if NFL teams think he or any of his QB teammates down here are worth a draft pick.
7. Adams off. Oregon QB Vernon Adams struggled at the Tuesday afternoon practice, though he wasn't the only one. Most of the quarterbacks weren't particularly sharp with downfield throws and cornerbacks have been exhibiting fairly tight coverage. Adams has been trading reps with 6-foot-6 Indiana QB Nate Sudfeld, which has made Adams (5-11) look all the shorter on the practice field.
8. Younger Fuller on par. Virginia Tech DL Luther Maddy has played defense with both 2014 Chicago Bears first-round pick Kyle Fuller, and younger brother Kendall Fuller, an All-ACC cornerback like Kyle who barely played in 2015 before knee surgery ended his season early.
And Maddy isn't giving Kyle much of an edge over Kendall, who intends to enter the 2016 draft as a junior.
"I can't put one over another," Maddy said. "Kyle was a great tackler and a great cover guy, and Kendall is the same way. He's just as good. Kyle I guess is a little bigger, but they're both physical."
9. Dean on defense. Virginia DL David Dean had a strong Tuesday practice, knifing into the backfield to disrupt several running plays during team drills and exposing a West offensive line that struggled in general.
10. Catch of the day: Stanford WR Devon Cajuste, who made a tough catch on the sideline while falling out of bounds.
11. Who's talking to who? NFL clubs interview East-West Shrine Game players on the field immediately following practices. They can't all be accounted for, but here are some of the conversations College Football 24/7 took note of following Tuesday's practices:
*Arizona Cardinals:*Minnesota LB De'Vondre Campbell
Atlanta Falcons: Arkansas State TE Darion Griswold, Stony Brook DE Victor Ochi, Oregon DL Alex Balducci
Baltimore Ravens:Wisconsin DB Mike Caputo
Carolina Panthers: Ohio State OG Chase Farris, Texas A&M P Drew Kaser
Chicago Bears: Notre Dame WR Chris Brown, Stanford WR Devon Cajuste, UMass WR Tajae Sharpe
Denver Broncos: Notre Dame WR Chris Brown, N.C. State OL Joseph Thuney, Penn State DL Anthony Zettel, Stanford WR Devon Cajuste, Washington LB Travis Feeney, Ohio State OG Chase Farris
Indianapolis Colts: Oregon DL Alex Balducci
Los Angeles Rams: Navy ATH Keenan Reynolds, Purdue CB Anthony Brown, Colorado CB Ken Crawley
Miami Dolphins: USC LB Anthony Sarao
Minnesota Vikings: Temple WR Robby Anderson, Minnesota DB Briean Boddy-Calhoun, Illinois OL Ted Karras, Manitoba DL Ebuka D. Onyemata, Colorado CB Ken Crawley, Stanford WR Devon Cajuste, Arkansas State TE Darion Griswold, South Carolina St. DL Javon Hargrave
New Orleans Saints: Wisconsin DB Michael Caputo, South Carolina St. DL Javon Hargrave
New York Jets: Stony Brook DE Victor Ochi
Oakland Raiders: Florida LB Anthony Harrell
Philadelphia Eagles: UMass WR Tajae Sharpe, Miami WR Rashawn Scott, Manitoba DL Ebuka D. Onyemata, Stanford WR Devon Cajuste, Michigan State OL Donavon Clark
San Diego Chargers: FAU CB Cre'von Leblanc, Purdue CB Anthony Brown, Temple WR Robby Anderson, Notre Dame WR Chris Brown, N.C. State CB Juston Burris, Michigan LB Joe Bolden, Indiana QB Nate Sudfeld, Arizona OL Lene Maiava
San Francisco 49ers: Wisconsin OL Tyler Marz
Washington Redskins: Rutgers OL Keith Lumpkin, Miami DB Deon Bush, Notre Dame WR Chris Brown, Notre Dame DB Elijah Shumate, FSU DL Nile Lawrence-Stample, Colorado CB Ken Crawley
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